Iowa Republicans’ long reputation for being hostile to political candidates who oppose ethanol subsidies isn’t true today, if it ever was.

But the shoe fits when it comes to the conventional wisdom that candidates in the nation’s leadoff caucuses could have trouble if they support civil unions for gay and lesbian couples, a new Des Moines Register Iowa Poll shows.

“It’s easy to see why more moderate candidates will choose to skip Iowa and pick New Hampshire as their starting gate,” said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, after hearing the poll results. “Jon Huntsman already has, and Mitt Romney likely will.”

When it comes to a candidate’s opposition to tax incentives for ethanol, 76 percent of likely Republican caucusgoers think that’s no real problem, or they’d at least be willing to consider a candidate who holds that position.

Privatizing Medicare, the federal health insurance program for Americans 65 or older, is not much of a concern for poll respondents, and that applies to all age groups. It’s also not a big deal if a candidate favors a return to the gold standard, or says climate change is a threat to be addressed through environmental policies. It’s not a deal-killer for most likely Republican caucusgoers if the candidate has messy family relationships, even for a majority of born-again Christians (53 percent).

But the tea party influence is evident in likely caucusgoers’ opposition to tax increases, more national debt, and an individual mandate for health insurance.

Fifty-one percent would give a thumbs-down to a candidate who thinks taxes must be raised, in addition to cuts in spending, to reduce the deficit. If a candidate favors raising the debt ceiling to keep the United States from defaulting on its obligations, 49 percent won’t back him or her.

And 44 percent would snub a candidate who has supported an individual mandate for health insurance. That’s a direct message to Romney, who as governor five years ago signed a health reform law that requires most people in Massachusetts to have health care coverage.

In his 2008 presidential run, Romney talked proudly of his accomplishments in reforming health care in his state, a law that in some aspects resembles the national health reform law signed by Obama and despised by many Republicans. Many opponents of the requirement to purchase insurance see it as an assault on individual freedom.

Past support for a health insurance mandate also could cause trouble for former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. While battling Hillary Clinton’s health reform plans in 1993, he said, “I am for people, individuals, exactly like automobile insurance, individuals having health insurance and being required to have health insurance.”

This May on “Meet the Press” he said, “I’ve said consistently we ought to have some requirement that you either have health insurance or you post a bond.” However, the next day he said he’s “against any effort to impose a federal mandate on anyone because it is fundamentally wrong.”

Respondents described as ‘very conservative’The biggest minefield among the 10 issues is civil unions. Fifty-eight percent would outright reject a candidate who favors them. Thirteen percent would consider a candidate who supports civil unions, and 27 percent say it’s no real problem. Two percent aren’t sure.

Caucusgoers want their nominee to be a fiscal hard-liner and an unswerving social conservative, Sabato said.

“It will be difficult for a GOP candidate that passes only one-half of the litmus tests to win the caucuses,” he said. “In most states now, civil unions are considered the moderate option, well short of outright gay marriage. This is a very conservative group of people, even within the context of the Republican Party.”

Evangelical Christians last year led a successful campaign to oust the three justices who participated in the ruling who were up for a retention vote last fall. This year, a small group of Republicans in the Iowa House wanted to impeach the remaining four justices who handed down the decision, but didn’t have enough support from their fellow representatives. Republican legislators continue to seek a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.

For Romney supporters, civil unions are far less of a deal-killer (35 percent) than for supporters of Michele Bachmann, a Minnesota congresswoman (80 percent).

Romney opposes civil unions, but has said that people in nontraditional relationships should be granted certain rights, such as hospital visitation.

Huntsman, a former governor of Utah, supports civil unions.

The Iowa Poll, conducted by Selzer & Co. of Des Moines, has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points.

Landscape has shifted on ethanol subsidies

Iowa is the leading producer of ethanol, and opposition to subsidies for the corn-based alternative fuel was once considered a campaign-killer. John McCain cited his opposition to ethanol subsidies when he skirted competing in Iowa during the 2000 presidential race. Huntsman gave the same reason for saying he’ll skip Iowa this caucus cycle.

But as concerns have grown about the deficit and rising food costs, the political landscape has changed for the ethanol industry and Iowa farmers.

Some industry leaders have signaled support for reduction of the subsidy or for shifting its proceeds to finance installation of ethanol pumps and storage tanks.

Texas Rep. Ron Paul has long opposed the 45-cent tax incentive for ethanol production, commonly known as the blenders’ credit. Huntsman, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum have in recent weeks said they favor phasing out the incentives.

In contrast, Romney and Gingrich support the subsidies, although Romney has said they should be phased out “once an industry is up and running.”

Herman Cain, a former business executive from Georgia, said in Pella earlier this month that he’s “not totally familiar” with the blenders’ credit, then a few days later opposed it. Bachmann said she supports a level playing field for all energy sources.

Spending-cut specifics split the candidates

All candidates in the Republican field say they want to cut federal spending and reduce the deficit. But they’re split on specific approaches.

A deadline looms this summer on raising the debt limit, the ceiling on what the government can borrow to finance its operations. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has said the United States could default on its debt if it doesn’t raise the limit by Aug. 2.

Last week, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke warned that even a short delay in making payments on the national debt could worsen the economy by disrupting financial markets, damaging the dollar and undermining confidence in the nation’s creditworthiness.

Republicans and some Democrats insist that specific spending cuts must be tied to any agreement to raise the limit.

Pawlenty would tie raising it to a constitutional amendment to balance the federal budget. Bachmann, Cain and Paul oppose raising it.

One of the biggest drivers of federal spending is Medicare. Two-thirds of Iowa Poll respondents say they wouldn’t rule out a candidate who favors privatizing Medicare.

Bachmann, Cain, Huntsman and Santorum support Republican U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan’s plan to convert Medicare into a private insurance-backed system for those who are now 55 or younger. Pawlenty and Romney would sign the Ryan plan if they were president, but as candidates they want to offer somewhat different alternatives. Paul voted against Ryan’s plan. Gingrich has said seniors should be given the choice between the current system and Ryan’s proposed voucher system.

Democrats have already signaled their intention to make their opposition to privatization a focus of 2012 congressional elections as well as the presidential race.